Mantle-mounting structure



Aug. 2, 1955 c. BRAMMING MANTLE-MOUNTING STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 10, 1951 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Ofiice 2,714,332 Patented Aug. 2, 1955 MANTLE-WIOUNTIN G STRUCTURE Carl Eramming, Nashville, Tenn, assignor to Aladdin Industries incorporated, Nashville, Tenn, a corporation of Illinois Application @ctober Ill, 1951, Serial No. 250,721

4 Claims. ((13. 61-103) This invention relates to inverted mantle lanterns, and is in particular concerned with an improved construction particularly adapted for lanterns of the type wherein fuel for combustion is provided from a source charged at superatmospheric pressure.

My novel construction offers numerous structural ad vantages derived from its mechanical ruggedness and simplicity, and at the same time provides at least two important functional improvements over prior-art devices in respect to protection of the mantle against damage.

First, in the inverted mantle lantern embodying my invention, I have provided a novel structure adapted to prevent, without loss of efiiciency or wastage of fuel, damage to the mantle resulting from contact with unvaporized liquid fuel. Secondly, I have provided a novel mechanical construction for supporting the mantle and protecting it against damage resulting from shock.

As is well known to persons skilled in the art, the incandescent mantles used for lamps or lanterns are made of a refractory material which, in operation, is heated to a brilliant white incandescence by the heat generated by the combustion of gases at the burner.

Such mantles are extremely fragile and are subject to being fractured and rendered useless by the slightest mechanical shock. Another very common cause of mantle failure is contact between the brittle mantle and one or more drops of unvaporized liquid fuel. Frequently the mechanical impact of such a liquid drop is sufficient to fracture the fragile mantle, particularly in lamps of the type in which the fuel is supplied under high pressure. Moreover, sudden impact between a drop of liquid fuel and the incandescent mantle will often cause a minute local explosion which, while noticeable to the user only as a sputter, is nevertheless sufficiently powerful to rupture the mantle. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a lantern wherein means are provided for trapping and vaporizing stray drops of liquid fuel before they gain access to the mantle itself.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical mantle support which maintains it at all times in proper alignment on the mantle mounting and affords unusual protection against damaging mechanical shock.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide, in an inverted mantle-lantern structure, a detachable mantle mounting of novel conformation which, while providing the usual support for the mantle and affording free access thereto for the gases of combustion, is operative to trap and vaporize liquid fuel drops and thus prevent them from reaching the mantle in liquid form.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

in the accompanying drawing, 1 have shown an illustrative embodiment of my invention, together with a variant form identical in performance but diifering somewhat in structure. in the drawing, Figure l is a fragmentary view, mostly in section, showing the burner tube, mantle mounting, fuel inlet nozzle, and mantle of the mantle lantern embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the external appearance of the burner tube of Fig. l and bringing out certain structural details thereof. Fig. 3 is a erspective view of the mantlemounting element shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a variant form of mantle-mounting element, functionally similar to that shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner in which the mantle-mounting element of Fig. 4 cooperates mechanically with the burner tube with which it is used.

Referring now to the drawing, 1 have shown in Fig. 1 a mixing tube or mixing chamber 10, joined in any suitable manner, as by gland 11, with an air tube 12, communicating with the atmosphere via air ports 12a to provide air for admixture with the vaporized fuel. Mounted coaxially within air tube 12 are a protector sleeve 13 and, within said sleeve, a fuel nozzle 14 through which vaporized liquid fuel is supplied under pressure, the fuel being usually vaporized in a generator.

The fuel emitted under pressure through nozzle 14 carries alon the air from tube 12 and mixes therewith in mixing tube 10. For the most part, the fuel is vaporized before it leaves nozzle 14-, but occasionally during the starting of the lantern, before the fuel is fully vaporized, a few drops of liquid fuel escape through the nozzle and frequently cause mantle damage. The mixed fuel and air passes downward through tube lit to the inverted mantle mounting at the burner, where it ignites and is burned in a blue flame of extremely high temperature.

The lowermost portion of mixing tube 10 is flared outwardly to provide a receptacle 15 constituting a burner head with the main portion of tube 16 but of substantially larger diameter. The inner surface of burner head 15 is provided with a pair of curved inner projections 16 adapted for cooperative action with corresponding projections ii? on mantle mounting 18, which is carried within burner head 15.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, from consideration of Figs. 1 and 3, that mantle-mounting member 18 may be easily inserted into burner head 15 and may be secured therewithin by being turned] a fraction of a turn after it has been fully seated.

The construction of mantle mounting 18 is one of the important novel features in my invention. As may be seen from Figs. 1, 3, and 4, its lower portion, extending below burner head 15, is provided with a flange 19 around which the mantle 20 is supported. The lower portion of mantle-mounting element 18 may be provided, if desired, with a screen 21.

The cap, or topmost portion, of mantle mounting 18 carries a rounded top element or dome structure 22, integrally formed with the body of mantle-mounting element 18 and secured thereto by a plurality of bridges 23. Between the bridges 23, which collectively form a spider support for dome member 22, a plurality of apertures 24 of relatively large size are provided, thus giving ample space for the combustible gases to pass through them on their way to the flame zone.

Dome 22 occupies the axial zone directly beneath nozzle 14, and its upper surface is slanted, so that any drops of fuel escaping before vaporization takes place and striking dome 22 will either entirely dissipate their energy by contact or will be deflected off of mantle mounting 18 onto the wall of mixing tube 16 or burner head 15.

As may be seen from Fig. 4, the exact conformation of dome member 22 is a matter of choice. If desired, the dome may be made gently rounded as shown in Fig. 4. Further, Fig. 4 shows an alternative means of locking mantle-mounting member 18 within burner head 15. As may be seen from Fig. 4, element 18 may be provided with a curved slot 25 having a top opening penetrating entirely through the upper rim of member 18. For cooperation with slot 25, a pin 26 may be provided in the inner wall of burner head 15.

With the construction just described, it will be seen that mantle-mounting member 1% may be pushed into position until pin 26 has become seated within slot 25, at which time a partial turn of mounting member 18 will cause it to become firmly lodged in place.

Mantle 20 is of conventional construction except that it is equipped at its lowermost tip with an eyelet 27 of refractory material, such as an asbestos composition,

having substantially greater mechanical strength than the web of the mantle proper. A frame support member 28 is provided with an extension 29, welded or otherwise aflixed thereto, rising upwardly from the middle portion of the lower crossbar of element 28. Extension 29 rides at all times within eyelet 2'7, and thus protects the free lower portion of the mantle against breakage due to shocks.

At its upper extremities, support member 2% has its arms bent sharply inward and terminated in tips 31, each of which is provided with a minute recess adapted for cooperation with detent element 32 on the outer surface of burner head 15. It is to be understood that the indicated means of afilxing the support member 28 to the lamp structure is purely arbitrary. Any person familiar with the art could devise an alternative means.

In the operation of my invention, mantle 20 is mounted on the burner head of the lantern by means of the mounting to which it is secured, and together with support element 28.

After the protective covering of the mantle has been burned off, the lantern is started and the fuel valve (not shown) connected to nozzle 14 is opened. Fuel and air will commence to mix in mixer tube and combustion will start.

From time to time, however, especially during the starting of the lantern one or more drops of liquid gasoline (or other fuel) may drop from nozzle 14 and fail to vaporize as it passes through burner tube 10. Any such drop of liquid fuel will splash against the dome 22 of the mounting whereby it is broken up into harmless small droplets having substantially no momentum.

Thus, by the operation of my novel mantle-mounting structure, I fully protect the mantle from mechanical shock and/or other forces occasioned by contact with drops of unvaporized liquid fuel.

The mantle structure proper, comprising the mantle with its eyelet 27 in combination with support member 28 and extension 29, is removably secured to the receptacle or burner head 15 of the mixing tube 10 by means of detent members 32. Thus chance mechanical shock caused to the lantern structure while it is being carried or during cleaning and other operations, which would cause the lower, normally unsupported end of the mantle to break, is prevented by the supporting member 23. This construction greatly improves the mechanical stability and lengthens the life of the mantles thus designed. As will be readily seen, the construction shown is also highly effective in protecting against breakage of stiff mantles which have been packed into cartons for shipment.

While I have for purposes of illustration shown the support member 28 in the form of a single, two-sided rod support, it may, if desired, be made in the form of two similarly bent rods welded together at right angles or at any other desired angle. Such a construction, creating a cage effect, will provide still greater mechanical support to the mantie. it will be understood, of course, that as many detent members 37. will be provided on the outer surface of burner head 15 as may be required, depending on the design of support member 28.

While i have in the present specification described in considerable detail certain illustrative embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that that description and showing have been exemplary only, and that the scope of my invention is to be determined primarily by reference to the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. For use in an inverted liquid-fuel mantle lantern mixing tube and a fuel nozzle disposed axially f and a burner head at the end of the mixing tube, a mantle-mounting element adapted to support an incandescent mantle, comprising a cylindrical portion adapted to be secured to said burner head, and a protective portion supported by the walls of said cylindrical portion and providing a shield centrally of the path of fuel flow to the mantle, said protective portion being relieved in a plurality of zones around the edges thereof to provide passage for vaporized fuel mixture therethrough, whereby said protective portion, when the mantle-mounting element is secured to the burner tube, will intercept liquid drops of fuel dropping from said nozzle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said protective portion is formed as a convex dome having its highest portion centrally disposed.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said protective portion is formed as a convex dome having its highest portion centrally disposed and wherein said relieved zones are spaced symmetrically around the periphery of said top portion, leaving a spider support for holding said dome centrally with respect to said cylinder portion.

4. in a mantle lantern of the inverted, liquid-fuel type, the combination of a mixing tube having a fuel nozzle disposed axially thereof and having also a burner head at the lower end thereof adapted to support a mantle mounting, and a protective shield disposed within said burner head and providing a shield centrally thereof, the conformation of said shield defining also a plurality of relieved zones permitting passage of vaporized fuel mixture therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,297,335 Everett Mar. 18, 1919 1,929,698 Koebnick Oct. 10, 1933 2,010,920 Karsel Aug. 13, 1935 2,379,017 McCollum June 26, 1945 2,452,438 Davis Qct. 26, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 14 1 Great Britain Jan. 4, 1909 

